The Government announced that 47,200 new houses should be built in Surrey, but county planners have argued that 35,000 is the maximum number that can be accommodated.

The county has condemned the figure as "political sleight of hand" and will now put pressure on the Government to stick to the figure of 35,000 new homes for Surrey for the period 1996 to 2016. Earlier this year, the Government said Surrey would have to accommodate 45,000 new houses, and the council is furious that Surrey appears to be the only county to receive an increase in its allocation. Surrey's green belt has been put in jeopardy by the Government's announcement, according to the county council leader, Nick Skellett (Con, Oxted).

The housing hinister, Nick Raynsford, made the announcement on Monday that 39,000 new houses would be built in the South East each year, which will mean 2,360 each year in Surrey.

This is a reduction from the previous figure of 43,000 announced earlier this year, but the new figure will be reviewed in 2006, when it is likely to be increased. Local authorities have no choice, but to accept the Government's figures.

Mr Skellett said the county's figure was the maximum for building on brown field areas and any additional housing would have to go on green belt land, although around 11,000 new houses out of the total have already been built.

He added: "This is not the sort of Christmas present the people of Surrey have been waiting for. The Government promised to listen and to be more flexible, but their proposals give lie to that. "Surrey has been consistently opposing plans for building any more than 35,000 new homes in the county and the Government's proposal, if confirmed, would require us to take more than 47,000 new homes. That is 12,000 more houses than Surrey can accommodate."

Surrey had received a raw deal as "in all other counties there has been quite a reduction", Mr Skellett added, and urged residents to voice concerns to the Government.

The county's head of strategic planning, Catriona Riddell, said that Surrey was the "only county in the South East to end up with an increase". Surrey has managed to accommodate 70% to 80% of new houses in urban areas recently. As the figures are arbitrarily based on past performance on building on previously developed land, Surrey was being penalised for performing well in the past, she added.

In 2006, the figure will be reviewed and Mr Raynsford said: "It is likely to be necessary to plan for the higher figure of 43,000 individual dwellings to meet housing needs, but that will be a matter for review."